DESA1002 'Continuous City' Kim Nicola Lange

Abstract

Tokyo. Where newest technology meets beautiful tradition. A city that is constantly active, goal orientated, hard working and highly motivated to get the most out of the day. Observing this, one realizes a need for a particular building. A building that revives the human as an individual, speaks to the soul. A Tokyo retreat. The Kami Library is a place where you can find yourself again, tune into your own. A sanctuary where you can learn, explore and discover. This is the essence and concept that lead me through the design and execution of the Kami Library. The building draws you in by the angled cantilever, creating a sense of majestic and out of the ordinary. From the moment you enter the building and ascend through the different floor levels, you are taken on a journey leaving the modern world, returning to nature, back to the core, back to your soul. From the book - to paper - to the tree. From the library and its reading/studying area - to the level that focuses on the art of the Japanese paper - to the top level, where the theme is meditation. The design of the library accommodates for many private “pods”, angled in such a way as to create a sense of seclusion and preserve a view of the river. Together they create a faceting, “moving” façade with strong geometric shapes, which also mirror the triangular shape of the site. Furthermore, ample infiltration of natural light was greatly considered in the design. The essence of the building is reflected in the name. “Kami”, a Japanese term that simultaneously stands for “paper” and “free spirit”.